Oscar Taveras led the Texas League in nine offensive categories last season and was named the Cardinals' No. 1 prospect by Baseball America.

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JUPITER, Fla. - Often unafraid last summer to hold court in the Double-A clubhouse, where he also would walk through wearing headphones and a mop of hair while singing, prospect hitter Oscar Taveras seemed to know he was the star.

What a difference a spring training in big-league camp makes.

The hair is almost buzzed to the scalp. Headphones? Who knows where they are. And Taveras has his lips zipped as he sits in one corner of the St. Louis Cardinals' spring training clubhouse, far from the regulars. ...